High-Tech Interpreters Improve Care at AMC

High-Tech Interpreters Improve Care at AMC

When a person arrives at the hospital, clear communication is critical in determining the right course of care. Now patients who speak languages other than English, as well as those who are hearing-impaired, can better communicate with their healthcare providers through Martti Express. This real-time online translation service is available at Appleton Medical Center (AMC), with Theda Clark Medical Center soon to follow — the only Fox Cities hospitals to offer the service.

Martti (My Accessible Real Time Trusted Interpreter) gives patients and healthcare providers immediate video access to language interpretation in 210 languages, including American sign language. This HIPPA-compliant wireless monitor with interactive touch screen is portable for use throughout AMC so any patient cared for in any department can benefit from the service.

“Martti helps patients feel understood and allows healthcare providers to care for most patients quickly and confidently,” said Fawn Rogers, the special projects coordinator who brought the system to AMC and trains healthcare providers in its use. “With Martti, we don’t waste patients’ or providers’ time searching for the right interpreter. We can get right to caring for our patients.”

Healthcare providers in AMC’s emergency and obstetrics departments began a pilot of the Martti system in November. They have found the service invaluable.

“ThedaCare knows complying with legal mandates is not enough,” said Andrew Panos, COO of Language Access Network, the maker of the Martti system. “Too often, communication errors occur within the first moments of a patient’s arrival when interpreters are seldom available, increasing costs and testing while decreasing patient satisfaction. LAN offers a proven mechanism in combating these barriers to care.”

ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of five hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, New London Family Medical Center, Shawano Medical Center, and Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, ThedaCare at Work, and ThedaCare at Home. ThedaCare is the largest employer in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,175 employees. Those interested can follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.